In the interest of transparency: The author of this editorial has a Venezuelan fiancée and himself hails from Curaçao, where the influence of the neighbouring country has always been significant, also via their radio and television signals that reach the island.
It’s no secret that the once-booming oil-rich South American nation is in a deep crisis of enormous proportions, which has led thousands to leave. Some ended up in the Dutch Caribbean and until now had been treated as undocumented residents to be deported, because they are considered economic rather than political refugees.
Things are a bit different in French territory, including St. Martin, where Venezuelans can ask for asylum and stay a certain period. However, it seems some of the requests are being denied and the persons involved repatriated.
A major development occurred last week when the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR issued guidelines qualifying the Venezuelan exodus as a “humanitarian disaster” and calling on member countries to afford the fleeing migrants international protection rather than send them back.
This led to concern in both Aruba and Curaçao regarding their capacity to handle a large flow of refugees. On the other hand, Member of the Second Chamber of Parliament in The Hague Andre Bosman (VVD) immediately asked for steps to prevent Venezuelans on the islands from travelling to the Netherlands.
Such a short-sighted, callous and downright selfish response obviously fails to take into account the role longstanding ties with Venezuela played in the European part of the kingdom’s own economic development and prosperity. For one thing, Royal Dutch Shell made hundreds of millions refining Venezuelan crude in Curaçao for much of the 20th century.
The Dutch Government itself was thankfully a bit less harsh in tone, saying it could not pay to accommodate the refugees but “won’t leave the islands on their own” and is willing to help with knowledge and expertise. That sounds a little better and more in line with the kind of respect this special historic relationship deserves.
